Thanking employees for a job well done can elicit more than a smile. In fact, an employee’s confidence boost from a simple expression of gratitude can catapult focus, determination, and improved performance when followed up by conversation-starting questions.

Instead of simply saying “good job” to an employee or colleague, try one of these three questions as suggested by Felicia Spahr for Fast Company to create dialogue and nurture productivity.

1. What inspired you to do that?

Show interest in delving into the behavior or action and encourage more of it – the results will follow.

2. How is that different that what you were doing before?

Uncover a motivation behind a behavior that maybe the employee didn’t even realize they possessed, leading them to examine and mimic and reproduce productive actions.

3. What do you need in order to do more of this?

Encourage the employee to consider what and why they did what they did and how they can continue the process. Managerial support for positive behavior fosters symbiotic productivity.